Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Drinkin' the day away in Champaign

It is hot and I am sapped. Sorry for the silence this week. I haven't covered very many Champaign spots, so today I'm going to cover three great places to get your drink on in Champaign.

1) Leisure Time Pet and Hobby on Mattis: this is the place for your basic beer brewing needs. We normally order beer supplies on-line but if I need a last minute ingredient I can usually find it here. And while you are there you can get a train or pet food. Brilliant!

2) The Esquire: This lovely downtown bar is an excellent place to spend a Friday afternoon watching the Cubs and catching up with friends. It serves the normal deep fried pub grub, but a notch better than usual, and the draft beers have a nice variety. If it is your first time there the toppings (onion, pickle, etc) are near the back of the bar on either side.

3) Alto Vineyards: Just outside Champaign toward Mahomet is Alto Vineyards. All summer long they have a concert series where you can relax near the grapevines to groovy local bands. Wine is by the glass and designated drivers drink for free. The wine shop is a cute little shop with local products and fancy wine trinkets. I fell in love with Alto Vineyards' Chambourcinat the state fair wine tent four years ago. This one is a crowd pleaser and is worth the trip to the winery for a hostess gift.

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I unabashedly love life here and am going to share what I've learned after 13 years getting educated, living, working, and playing in Decatur, Bloomington Normal, Champaign Urbana, Springfield and the small towns in between.

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